


It Can Happen Here

by lowlizah



Category: Glee
Genre: Angst, Blaine-centric, Episode: s04e18 Shooting Star, Hopeful Ending, M/M, School Shootings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-06-11 06:37:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15309594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lowlizah/pseuds/lowlizah
Summary: Shooting Star Redoux centered mostly around Blaine.Snippet:"I have to go," Cooper said, quickly getting up and pulling his phone out as he bolted out of the cafe. His hands were shaking as he sent text after text to his brother pausing only to call for an Uber then jumping to the Delta app to find the quickest flight back to Ohio.





	It Can Happen Here

**Author's Note:**

> A Shooting Star Redoux because honestly, what the fuck? Eighty-four years later and I'm still pissed about so much when it comes to this show and this is just one of them. I would fight Murphy to this day, I swear. Not beta read, so mistakes are my own.

For a split second everyone froze: uncertain, disbelieving, and confused. 

The second shot had them all moving.

Blaine's whispered question was promptly met with a hush and he wasted no time in pulling out his phone. Trembling hands made sure it was on silent and he forced himself to control his breathing as panic, fear, and adrenaline, coursed through him. He opened up his text conversation with his mom and hesitated for a moment before texting 'Shooting at school in the choir room love you' and hit send before moving to his dad, typing out a similar message, 'Shooting at school love you dad' then to Cooper a simple 'Love you big brother.' Last, he scrolled down and opened up his messages with Kurt and stared at the blue text bubbles of one-sided conversation. 

'I love you Kurt. Always.' then 'I'm sorry.' Blaine wiped his eyes and went back opening up Twitter and posting 'Scared' before copying the message onto FaceBook. As soon as he clicked his phone off, it lit up and vibrated in his hands with a reply from Cooper 'Love you too Squirt' followed by several emojis of hearts that was immediately replaced with his mom's photo. He silenced the call and was greeted with a message from his dad ordering him to take care of himself and telling Blaine he loves him. 

He squeezed his phone in his hand and buried his face in his arms as he tried to curl up tighter, trying to make himself as small as possible.

* * *

Cooper tucked his phone back in his pocket and picked up his coffee cup.

He was at a cafe waiting for a date to show up when he got Blaine's text. The text, while unexpected, didn't seem unusual for how they were slowly mending their relationship. He'd offered to fly Blaine out when he learned of the breakup, unfortunately Blaine declined but Cooper was determined. He had plans for the summer to fly Blaine out here for a week, with the help of their parents, to show his little brother sunny California and maybe tour some schools since the kid was determined to get a degree.

The random daytime show that was on the cafe's TV cut off with a sharp sound and 'BREAKING NEWS' flashed across the screen. Maybe he should look to see if there were any news caster parts available, no doubt he'd kill that audition. 

"Breaking news as we receive word of a shooting at a high school, this one in Ohio. Police and other emergency personnel are on the scene at William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio with no word yet on casualties or injuries or any information on a possible suspect," the woman said as a video played in the screen next to her, showing an aerial of the school. "We have an affiliate on their way to the scene and-"

"Are you Cooper?"

Cooper turned away from the screen to look briefly at the blond that stood next to his table with a hesitant smile. 

"I'm Jes-"

"I have to go," Cooper said, quickly getting up and pulling his phone out as he bolted out of the cafe. His hands were shaking as he sent text after text to his brother pausing only to call for an Uber then jumping to the Delta app to find the quickest flight back to Ohio. His ride was barely at a creep when he threw himself in and called his father.

"Dad! Blaine-"

"I know. I'm on my way to the school right now. Your mother is there and they haven't told her anything and god! We never should've let him transfer. He was safe at Dalton, dammit." 

Cooper could hear the fear in his father's voice, something he hadn't heard in a long time. "I'm on my way. I bought the ticket and I should get there tonight," he said, vaguely remembering he needed to call his agent as well.

"I'll have a car waiting. I'll let you know okay?" A deep, shaky breath came then, "Be safe son. I love you."

"Love you too dad."

Leon Anderson let out another breath as he hung up and tried to focus on the road. His eyes stung as he thought of the text he'd received as he was about to head into a meeting. It had been pure chance that he had his phone on him, usually he left in at his desk for strategy meetings; after replying he ran to the board room, no doubt scaring and shocking the junior staff. He could barely remember what he said, only the pale look on his law partner's face as he told Leon to go, asking if he was okay to drive, and to let them know if he needed anything, to keep them updated. 

They never should have let Blaine leave Dalton. Since he transferred back to public school it was one thing after another and now, now his son could be...

His stress and anxiety were increasing with every passing minute that his phone remained silent in his hand. He turned off the radio as soon as he had gotten into the car as the Top 40 threatened to make him breakdown. His thoughts strayed, remembering the night when he saw his youngest son lying in a hospital bed, bloody and bruised, breathing with support, and being told that the doctor's 'were hopeful.'

"Damn it!"

Kurt's notebook slipped from his hand as he attempted to pull his phone out of his bag. He walked slowly out of the lecture hall with a frown at the sight of a long string of confusing text messages. He stopped at the ones from Blaine and a weird, uneasy feeling settled over him. His path took him by the student commons where he glanced up at the unusual silence in the ordinarily noisy room. Everyone was gathered around the TVs watching as various agencies reported on another school shooting. 

Kurt slowly walked over as if in a trance, the name of the school and the familiar sight seemed vaguely familiar before it finally clicked in his head and numbness washed over him. "No. Nononononononono," he unlocked his phone and immediately went to Blaine's texts, clicking his name and call. 

"Answer the phone, please answer the phone," he muttered as he slowly became aware of eyes turning to him in concern. Spinning around, he rushed out, cursing as he got Blaine greeting him and asking him to leave a message. He tried again.

"Damn it, Blaine answer your phone," he hissed as he raced towards Rachel's class, dialing again only to get voicemail. He hung up and called Santana and was met with a shouted, "Brittney isn't answering her phone!"

"I can't get Blaine either," he replied, anxiety and panic boiling over, as tears rolled down his face. "Santana."

"I know. I know," she cried to him. 

"Kurt? What's wrong?" Rachel asked rushing to meet him as he barged into her dance class that was waiting for the instructor to show up.

* * *

Pam Anderson stood with some other parents that had yet to be reunited with their kids. She squeezed her phone as tears poured down her face. She'd been out grocery shopping when she got Blaine's text. She was immediately sent back to when she opened the door the night of Blaine's Sadie Hawkins dance to the sight of two police officers with grim expressions.

"Pam! Pam!"

She turned and saw her husband struggling to break through the line of officers. She ran towards him, "That's my husband! That's my husband - Leon!" she shouted, colliding with him as he was let through. "My baby, my baby! Leon!"

Any control she had was gone as she sobbed her fears to him, aware that his own control was slipping the longer they were kept waiting.

Her phone rang,startling them both. A picture of toddler Blaine sitting primly on grass with an Easter basket next to him, dressed in a pastel blue collared shirt tucked into gray shorts with knee high white socks, black loafers and a pink bow-tie around his neck, smiled at her as she struggled to swipe to answer.

"Blaine!" she cried when she was finally able to accept the call.

"Hey mommy," her baby's terrified voice greeted her. 

Leon put the phone on speaker and spoke, "Are you okay Blaine? Where are you?"

"Dad," their son breathed, "I'm okay. T-the SWAT team just came by. Said something about, uhm, it being clear but they're, they're making us wait to evacuate the rooms one by one. I'm okay. I'm fine. We're fine." 

"We're here. We're outside waiting for you son, okay?"

"Okay. I love you, the police are back so I'll see you in a minute."

"We love you too, Blaine."

Leon hugged his wife tightly as he walked them as close to the school as they could go. His eyes darted around trying to find his son in the crowd of students emerging from the building surrounded by SWAT and police.

"Blaine!" Pam screamed as she saw her terrified son exit the building holding tightly onto himself. His head jerked in their direction and they could see tears rolling down his face; he said something to a police officer next to him and pointed at them. The officer looked their way and then to Blaine. Blaine nodded his head and together, they made their way to them. 

Within a few feet, Pam couldn't wait any longer and rushed to meet them, squeezing Blaine to her and thanking god. Leon approached slightly slower, using the time to calm his racing heart and taking in the sight of his son, alive and breathing and unscathed physically.

"Mom and dad?" the officer asked, as if Pam and Blaine holding each other and sobbing weren't enough of an answer. Leon nodded as he gathered his family into his arms. He pressed a kiss to his son's head and cleared his throat before thanking the officer.

The officer smiled and let out a breath of relief, "Trust me sir, I'm glad to bring you your son unharmed; no thanks needed. If you could just come with me, we have some questions and then you can get your boy home." 

As they followed him, Blaine secure between the two of them, Leon called Cooper. The call went to voicemail but he let him know they had Blaine, he was safe, and they'd see Cooper when he got home.

* * *

Blaine sighed as he watched his mom pace the floor. Dad had gone to get dinner for them and Cooper was almost to the house. He pulled out his phone and stared at all the messages. He swiped at the latest one from Sebastian; he let the other boy know he was okay and asked if they could get coffee on Friday with all the Warblers. Then he answered messages from Finn, Mercedes, Mike, Rachel, Santana, and Puck. 

He hesitated at Kurt's, wondering if he should call him back. He settled for a simple 'I'm ok. At home now.' Immediately, he received a reply in the form of a phone call. Swiping to answer, he glanced at his mother who continued to pace, pausing every now and then to stare at some photo on the wall.

"Hey Kurt," he breathed.

"Thank god," he heard Kurt gasp. Blaine slowly registered that Kurt had been crying, his voice was raspy and breaking. There was a tremble in his breathing and he was gasping slightly as if he was trying to catch his breath. "I heard from the other's that they're alright, and Santana said that Brittney told her you were okay too but I had to hear your voice. I just had to hear you Blaine."

Blaine cleared his throat as tears rushed to his eyes. "I'm okay Kurt. I'm okay. Scared out of my damn mind but I'm okay," he glanced at his mother who was still seemingly lost in thought looking at a photo of Blaine and Cooper from a piano recital and added, "I'm fine Kurt. I'm still here." 

"I'm horrible. The most traumatic experience of your life and you're comforting me," Kurt hiccuped. "I'm sorry; I'm so glad you're okay. I kept thinking... I couldn't imagine..."

"To be honest, I'm still kind of numb. I promise when it finally sets in I'll give you a call so you can help me keep it together," Blaine said softly, "You're not pathetic okay? I'm here. I'm alive. You don't have to imagine or think of anything else but that. I'm alive."

"I could've lost you."

"You didn't. I'm still here," Blaine looked up and noticed his mother quietly crying again. He got up and gave her a small smile as he headed towards the kitchen. Quietly he asked, "Kurt, do you think, maybe, we could Skype or FaceTime tomorrow or something? Cooper flew into town and will be coming in any second now, and my dad went out to get dinner but really I think he just needed a second, and my mom is crying again so-"

"Yeah. Yes. We can. Tomorrow? Usual time?"

"Oc course," Blaine agreed. He hesitated for a moment, unsure.

"I love you Blaine. Sweet dreams."

"I love you too Kurt. Goodnight."

True to his prediction, Cooper burst through the doors and tackled Blaine into a hug. His dad returned with take-out and they all steadily ignored his bright eyes and splotchy face. The family stayed up most of the night talking about everything and nothing. His father wanted to transfer him back to Dalton but Blaine refused. His mom wanted him to stay home the rest of the week but again, Blaine refused. Cooper took Blaine's side on everything, arguing in support of Blaine's decisions. Eventually, exhaustion overtook them and they all head for bed. After Blaine was settled and almost asleep, his door opened and Cooper crept in; he shoved Blaine over and climbed in next to him.

He asked Blaine about the break-up, how he was doing, what were his thoughts and feelings. He asked about Kurt ,and the cheating, and their conversation tonight, and plan to talk again. He asked about school and his friends, about universities and majors that Blaine was considering. In turn, Cooper, told Blaine about his life and everything that was going on with him. They offered each other advice and reassurance until eventually Blaine fell asleep. Cooper laid awake and stared at his little brother, considering all the things he had just learned about his baby brother that he hadn't known before.

He could have lost his brother today. His only brother. The Blaine he remembered holding in the hospital room, and teaching to walk and talk, and play and dance. He thought about Blaine's hopes and dreams, things he didn't know about until today. Thought about how close his brother came to never realizing them and never experiencing all the things in life he should. 

Cooper stared at his little brother and resolved to be the brother that Blaine deserved. Because Blaine could have died and Cooper wouldn't have known Blaine at all. Blaine was adamant that Kurt was his soulmate and while Cooper didn't believe in that sort of stuff for himself, he would be there for Blaine and hope that Kurt had the same resolve and belief. 

Judging by the conversation they'd had tonight, the pair might get their happily ever after some day. 

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments feed the beast. Hits only do so much for my ego.


End file.
